Getting an ssn

[davidmartin_uk]

Hi Folks

Been in USA for a couple of weeks are starting to see the beast of the US bureaucratic system!!!! Been trying to get an ssn up here in the white mountains of new Hampshire but very few if any visa holders up here and local SS office does not seem to know much about it.

Do we need the EAD form 766. USCIS web site is not clear.

Both my wife and I hold E2 visas. I thought the EAD form 766 was for spouses only?

If we need to file how long does it normally take to come through. I know we are charged from tomorrow so we have missed the ‘free lunch’

We were certainly under the impression that all we needed for the ssn was the visas and our passports.

Any advice would be great

Regards

[byjove]

If I remember it was a little circus to say the least, but it will work out in the end. Like you, we filed in an area, not known for its E2, and it did take a while I have heard others get it in days! Swings and roundabouts springs to mind. And you cant get you tax ID for the business until you get the SS#, my advise is to contact the tax department that issues the ID # and get it on record that you are chasing the details.

You say you both have E2 is it 50-50?

[davidmartin_uk]

Yeah it is a 50/50 e2

Applied for tax numbers while in uk and they have been lost by the irs! Have re applied at the local irs office so that is done. The lady in the ss office didn't mention the tax numbers, just these ead's. Of course on an e2 we don't have any authority to work except in the e2 business!!

Any idea what they want?

Dave

[byjove]

Dont know if this helps, hope it can!
Non-citizens applying to enter the United States can apply for a Social Security as part of the immigrant visa application. In order to do this, the applicant must be 18 or older when they enter the United States and must be a lawfully admitted permanent resident.

When filling out Form DS-230, the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, the applicant must answer "yes" to questions 33a and 33b. Question 33a simply states that the applicant wants the Social Security Administration to assign a Social Security number and issue a card. Question 33b authorizes disclosure of Form DS-230 to the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Social Security Administration, and any other government agencies that may be needed in order to get a Social Security number.

According to the Social Security Administration, once the applicant arrives in the U.S., a Social Security card should arrive at their mailing address in about three weeks. If the applicant changes their mailing address after arriving but prior to receiving their card, they must call the Social Security Administration.

When the applicant visits the Social Security office to apply for a Social Security card, he or she should take the following original documents for each family member applying for a number:

The passport or travel document
Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551), if he or she has received it
Birth record
I-94, Arrival/Departure Record
When the applicant arrives at the SSA office, he or she should complete the SS-5, or Application for a Social Security Card. In addition, all documents must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. Photocopies and notarized copies of documents are not acceptable.

Someone at the office will help the applicant complete the application. The applicant should then receive the card in about two weeks after the SSA has everything that it needs to process the application. However, if the SSA has to verify any document with the issuing agency, it may take longer to receive the card.

[chris]

You do not need an EAD if you are the E2 Visa holder. You do need an EAD if you are the spouse of an E2 Visa holder/ If you are each an E2 visa holder, then neither of you requires an EAD.
If your business is a corporation, you will need to get an EIN (Employers Identification Number) from the IRS. Many use this as an alternative to a SS# for getting stuff like credit cards. You will of course need individual SS #'s.
Good web sites to visit are the USCIS.gov site. Here you can look at who needs EAD's and will confirm what I said.
Visit the SS website and it will give you inforamtion on getting your SS#. Be prepared to know more than the waller at the other side of the desk or you'll just get the govt runaround.

[davidmartin_uk]

Have vistited SS site and it quite clearly states docs required

I94 with your un expired passport OR!!! Work permit card I 766

Will take a print of this in tomorrow and see how far I get.

dave

[byjove]

You can only do your best, just remember to take a huge pillow around with you for all the brick walls ya gonna bang ya head against!!!! (it does get better honest!)

[britcan]

Have vistited SS site and it quite clearly states docs required

I94 with your un expired passport OR!!! Work permit card I 766

Will take a print of this in tomorrow and see how far I get.

dave

David- make sure that you take marriage certificate as well. We arrived in RI May 25th 2007, we took all of the documents as stated(I94 was what we took as the either OR), and I just happened to have the marriage cert on me- well they asked for it. My hubbie is the main E2 visa holder- I am spouse- we both got SSN within 7 days even though I am not working in the business.

[Ray10]

Print out and take this with you ..
https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203500

[britcan]

Print out and take this with you ..
https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203500

Does this mean that as a spouse of the E2 visa holder I do not need to apply for an EAD then? I have my SSN number whcih the woman at the SSN office had asked for my marriage certificate....

[Ray10]

Does this mean that as a spouse of the E2 visa holder I do not need to apply for an EAD then? I have my SSN number whcih the woman at the SSN office had asked for my marriage certificate....
You do still require an EAD as an accompanying spouse

[timjotom]

Hi David,

We had the same problem and still are! We went together for our SSN, Tim got a really nice guy who asked for very little information and I got a beast of a woman who wanted everything including all the documents for the business.
Tim got his SSN 2 weeks later and I am still waiting for mine and it is now 6 weeks. I called the other day and was told that the reason for the delay was probably because there was someone else with a SS card in my name - very reassuring.
So Tim now has his SSN and driving licence and I don't exist.
This seems to go on for some time when you first arrive as we have had to pay a premium for everything - car insurance, cell phones etc.
Things seem to be coming together now but you have to be very patient and tolerant.
Good Luck!

[McSporran]

Hi Timtom,

You dont need an SSN to get a driving license...just a valid visa and your passport...if that helps at all.

[byjove]

Yup! i second that, dont need SS# for DL Just that good 'ole I94 card in passport and your passport. You will get a A4 size piece of paper to carry oround (lovely) this will be the "licence" until you get the other sent.

[McSporran]

Yup! i second that, dont need SS# for DL Just that good 'ole I94 card in passport and your passport. You will get a A4 size piece of paper to carry oround (lovely) this will be the "licence" until you get the other sent.

Good point byjove - I forgot the I-94!!

[chris]

Couple of things to note. When foreigners like us apply for a SSN we are put through secondary processing (sounds familiar doesn't it). Our applications do the rounds of the aganices incl DHS, FBI, etc (CIA in DEE's case). That's why we have to wait so long, when Joe America gets his there and then.
To clear up a liitle confusion which I saw on the SSN & EAD for E2 spouses.
If you are an E2 Spouse and intend to work, you need a SSN AND an EAD. If you do not intend to work, then you can have a SSN on its own.
No other members of the E2 visa family are allowed a SSN or allowed to work either. So your sons and daughters will still be a drain on your finances till they are 21 when the US kicks them out. Sucks as usual.

[byjove]

we were told to use the kids tin # issued with the 1st taxes where ss# is needed.

All first time tax submitters, try and get the kids tax id # BEFORE subitting taxes, other wise there is a delay and the allowance may be declined, then you pay a fine. (It gets refunded but best not to have on record really!)

[Kriz1]

My daughter could not work for 2 years...could not go to school at 17 because she had been to college in the UK...we had no money for school....so she got real bored....

[timjotom]

In the State of Virginia you need every document going to get your DL. We went armed with everything I-94, passport, birth certificate, marriage cert you name it we had it - apart from our SSN.
It would appear that the 9/11 bombers all had Virginia DL and since then they really check you out before letting you get your license. The lady in the DMV sent all our papers to their HO and we had to wait for a letter authorising us to take a test. As I still have no SSN I can't get my DL. It is all to do with the secondary id.

[anniefromessex]

I am NOT going to comment, really I'm not!!!!

Love Anniexxx

[McSporran]

In the State of Virginia you need every document going to get your DL. We went armed with everything I-94, passport, birth certificate, marriage cert you name it we had it - apart from our SSN.
It would appear that the 9/11 bombers all had Virginia DL and since then they really check you out before letting you get your license. The lady in the DMV sent all our papers to their HO and we had to wait for a letter authorising us to take a test. As I still have no SSN I can't get my DL. It is all to do with the secondary id.

Sorry - from your name-info I thought you were still outside the US? If you presented a green I-94 (i.e. Visa Waiver Program), then I'm not at all surprised. Generally now you need to show a visa related I-94 (i.e. white).

[britcan]

In the State of Virginia you need every document going to get your DL. We went armed with everything I-94, passport, birth certificate, marriage cert you name it we had it - apart from our SSN.
It would appear that the 9/11 bombers all had Virginia DL and since then they really check you out before letting you get your license. The lady in the DMV sent all our papers to their HO and we had to wait for a letter authorising us to take a test. As I still have no SSN I can't get my DL. It is all to do with the secondary id.


So are you able to drive at all? And if so what about getting insurance for the car?

[SHEILA 13]

I have been told different stories about been able to drive with your Uk license some say only 1 month is allowed after arrival and someone else says 3 months !!!
The ssn was quite straight forward took about 3 weeks to come through.

[peter gold]

30 days only on a non US license

[timjotom]

Hi,
Our I-94 is the white one we got when coming through immigration and is vaild until June 2009.
Every State is different on the timescales you are allowed to drive on a foreign license in Virginia it is for 6 months.The problem comes when you want to buy a car and take out insurance.

[britcan]

Hi,
Our I-94 is the white one we got when coming through immigration and is vaild until June 2009.
Every State is different on the timescales you are allowed to drive on a foreign license in Virginia it is for 6 months.The problem comes when you want to buy a car and take out insurance.

Try going to the local AAA office- we went there and they informed us that our Canadian Licence was good for 12months and
that the insurance side of the AAA said that we can be insured on our CDN licences by Progressive .Its worth a try.

[spencer modler]

Hi David, I came over on an E2 in March this year, and applied for my ssn# as soon as I got over here, although I constantly phoned and went into the local office (tampa fl.) I never got anywhere, just as I was giving up it came through in the post two days ago, 22 weeks after first applying for it !!. Just keep phoning and visiting the office , don't give up.

[davidmartin_uk]

Hi everyone

Took stuff from the SS web site which was very useful especially the doc that Ray suggested. The office agreed that we did not need an EAD but still could not get us into the system. Then another office member suggested they try putting indefinite stay (instead of the 2 yrs shown on the I94) and the application was accepted. I got my SSN in about 10 days.

Thanks for your help.

Now have to get NH DL.. Think we have everything they want from the web site but who knows!!!!

Dave